LS Lowry: The Unheard Tapes; Scrubs

“Was LS Lowry to art what Morrissey was to music? Both are Mancunian observers of ordinary lives and each has “a gleeful truculence” to them. Being compared to Morrissey? If Lowry were alive, heaven knows he might be miserable now. This diverting parallel — a perfect pub conversation starter for pseuds — came courtesy of Stuart Maconie in LS Lowry: The Unheard Tapes, BBC2’s terrific insight into the painter of matchstick men, cats and dogs. In some ways, this film followed the recent Turner: The Secret Sketchbooks in seeking to understand the psychology of an artist — although this was quite different stylistically, and what a clever way to tell his story.”
James Jackson, The Times

“That tension between yesterday and today made the tapes fascinating. They were brought alive by Sir Ian McKellen, speaking the lines in perfect synch as the original audio played. McKellen’s timing on every growl, cough, tut and yawn was magnificent. Annabel Smith played Angela, the researcher who interviewed him more than a dozen times in the 1970s, amassing a boxful of tapes that lay forgotten for decades before their rediscovery. Angela was softly spoken and deferent, her questions rarely more than half a sentence long. But she was an instinctive interviewer, allowing her subject plenty of time to speak and challenging him gently when he tried to avoid answering.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“Never have those pale blue eyes looked so watery and brimming with undeclared feelings. Annabel Smith powerfully conveys Barratt’s gentle yet astute questioning, her compassion, respect and affection for her subject. They’re so brilliant that The Unheard Tapes might have worked better as a one-off drama, an intense and intimate two-hander that would have given the words on the tapes more room, and allowed the omissions and silences to speak their volumes.”
Chitra Ramaswamy, The Guardian

“Medical sitcom Scrubs (Disney+) has returned for a surprise 10th series. It’s just like the NHS – you see a doctor, then wait 16 years for a follow-up appointment. Despite the decade-and-a-half gap, it rolls back the years and recaptures the old magic. No need to seek a second opinion.”
Michael Hogan, Telegraph

“It feels odd, the pleasure of watching the same old Scrubs tempered by the slight feeling that we’re getting reheated leftovers. A lot of the humour is still sharp and it has its old moral compass — there is an affecting storyline involving a man who cannot afford his heart medication. But what, you slightly wonder, is the point? Unless it’s to allow us to slip into comfortable slippers. It feels nice, sure. But deep down you know they’re a bit old and tatty and you should really buy a fresh pair.”
Ben Dowell, The Times

“The Scrubs revival is as Scrubsy as it gets. Obviously your enjoyment of this new run will depend on how much you liked Scrubs to begin with. But if you were a fan, the new series will feel like the safest pair of hands imaginable.”
Stuart Heritage, The Guardian